Orson Randal and the Death Maiden of Hong Kong
by Elric the White Wolf
Summary: A tale of the pulp era Iron Fist Orson Randal. Rated T for violence and drug abuse.


Disclaimer: I do not own Iron Fist, Marvel does. I do however own Wei Li the Death Maiden of Hong Kong. Spoilers of the fact that Danny is not the only Iron Fist that existed.

**Orson Randall & the Death Maiden of Hong Kong**

Orson sat back into the cushions of the small bed that he had rented in the opium den. The two young girls that were with him also snuggled up, even though their work was already done. No doubt hoping for another dose, Orson thought to himself, as he re-lit his pipe. An hour later Orson Randal; once the proud Iron Fist, immortal weapon of Kun Lun; staggered from the opium den, back along the choked and dirty streets of Hong Kong, to the small hovel that he called home. When he arrived there was a woman waiting at his front door. The woman was dressed for battle, in a loose garment that resembled a training gi, and she wore a pair of long knives at her waist.

"Greetings to an honored visitor," the woman began, speaking in Chinese. "I have come from very far to seek you out," she finished.

Orson stared at the woman for a long moment before answering, "I am sorry great lady, you must have me confused with someone else," Orson replied, as he began to open the door to his house.

"One does not seek the Iron Fist without knowing who he is," the woman said, as her hand slapped out to keep Orson from opening his door.

Orson's nostrils flared, his eyes narrowed, and he took in his surroundings before answering carefully, "I do not of what you speak honored lady. There is no Iron Fist here, only a poor immigrant dockworker trying to scrape by." "Now if you would excuse me lady, I must be on my way to the market," Orson continued, as he sought to walk around the woman.

The woman made a discrete hand gesture as Orson walked away from her, and five men with dragon tattoos on their chests appeared out of the crowd and blocked Orson's path. "I am not finished with you yet Orson Randal," the woman said.

As she said this Orson exploded into action, dropped into a spinning squat, and snapped one leg into the nearest dragon monk's shin, dropping him to the ground. He snapped his legs straight and flipped over the woman's head to land behind her. She spun to face him, as he spoke "What is your name honored lady? I would know who is trying to kill me before I return the favor," Orson asked.

The woman looked at him incredulously as she responded with awe in her voice, "They told me that you had not fought with the chi of Shou Lao in years."

"They were correct honored lady, but again I must know your name," Orson responded, as he dropped into a fighting stance.

The woman shook her head to clear it before answering "They call me Wei Li, honored Iron Fist."

Orson blanched, but did his best to cover his sudden attack of nerves, "The Death Maiden of Hong Kong. I was not aware that I had attracted that much attention," Orson said, trying to stall the woman until he had an avenue of escape.

"You will not escape Iron Fist. My dragon monks will find you no matter where you flee," the Death Maiden informed, as she realized his strategy.

Before she even finished speaking, Orson was on the move and with a single bracing step half way up the wall of his home, Orson was on the rooftop. He looked down at Wei Li, as if daring her to follow, and then took off along the roofs. For a few moments Orson thought that he was going to get away scott free, but then one of the dragon monks landed in front of him. The monk's fist shot out, aimed for Orson's throat. The Iron Fist circled his left arm around his foe's right and pulled up against the monk's elbow. A second later there was a wet shattering sound as the monk's elbow suddenly bent backward. Orson dropped the man's arm and slammed his head into the monk's nose, breaking that as well and dropping the man, unconscious, to the rooftop. Orson jumped off the roof he was on into the busy market place, attempting to loose himself in the crowd. He ran around, between, over, under, and sometimes straight through the market crowd as Wei Li and her three remaining dragon monk's followed closely behind.

As he neared the southern edge of the market, Orson saw that two of the dragon monks had managed to get a head of him and block his path. Orson leaped into the air, fists aimed at his foe. The monk raised his arms to block, but realized that Orson's leap was falling short. As Orson hit the ground, he rolled into a ball and used his arms to launch himself, feet first, right at the monk. He caught the monk's throat with his legs, and with a deft twist he snapped the man's neck. As the corpse fell to the ground, Orson back flipped off of it and landed in front of the other monk. Orson tapped into the chi of the dragon and lit up the iron fist that was his name sake. "Do you have any last words before I put my fist through your chest?" Orson asked the monk. The man looked for a moment at Orson's glowing fist and decided that he was not being paid enough to risk his life for Wei Li, before turning and running.

"It seems that I must attempt to find a better class of help," Wei Li said, as she stepped out of the crowd. "So, it has come to you and it has come to me. I must say that I have been dying to see the Iron Fist in action for a long time," Wei Li continued, as she pulled the long knives from her belt.

"Can you name the one word in that last sentence you shouldn't have said?" Orson asked, as the crowd began clearing between the two combatants.

With a shout, Wei Li moved forward, driving her knives towards Orson's chest. Orson spun his arm in a wing chun circle block attempting to capture Wei Li's arm the way he had caught the monk's earlier. She saw the trap coming however and pulled her arm from the block before he could catch it. She slashed at his trapping arm with one of her knives and drew first blood.

"Ha, if that is the best you can do Iron Fist then you have indeed slipped from the heights you had once obtained," Wei Li crowed, as she pressed her advantage, kneeing Orson in the stomach. Orson staggered back, out of breath, before settling again into his fighting stance. He launched himself off the ground and into a spinning back kick aimed at Wei Li's head. She ducked, but still caught the edge of Orson's foot on the top of her head. She rolled backwards and threw a dagger at Orson's suddenly retreating form. The dagger flew by Orson's head and buried itself in the wall of a market stall.

Orson sped towards a chain fence, just beyond the market, and as he reached it, catapulted himself over it and into the airfield it was guarding. He turned as Wei Li leaed the fence after him. As Wei Li charged in, Orson shut his eyes and reached deep inside, to a part of himself he hadn't touched in years. Looking deep enough, Orson felt the burning energy of the dragon Shou Lao. Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he drove his energized fist straight through the chest of Wei Li. The dark clad woman dropped to the ground, the fist sized hole in her chest spilling blood onto the ground. Orson wiped his fist on her outfit as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Nice try Wei Li." Orson moved quickly to a hangar that contained a Randal Enterprises cargo plane. He boarded the plane and as he sat on the ground in the cargo area, he realized that his hands were still shaking. That was close, he thought to himself, I must be getting sloppy. He pulled his pipe out if his jacket, lit it, and breathed easier as his hands stopped shaking.

A tale of the 65th Iron Fist, as told in the book of the Iron Fist


End file.
